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District May Temporarily Change Flag To Protest Lack Of Autonomy

By: Patrick Madden // October 31, 2012
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The design of the flag of the District of Columbia is based on coat of arms of George Washington.
Mr. T in D.C.: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_t_in_dc/1782961516/
The design of the flag of the District of Columbia is based on coat of arms of George Washington.

To protest the District's lack of autonomy in Congress, city leaders may temporarily change the D.C. flag.

The phrase "taxation without representation" has long been a battle-cry for voting rights activists in D.C. The phrase has been emblazened on license plates — even President Bill Clinton joined in on the act, ordering the White House limo to carry the "taxation without representation" license plate.

Now city leaders may take the message from the streets to the sky. A bill before the D.C. Council would add the phrase to the District's simple "stars-and-bars" flag for one a special occasion — Flag Day, which falls in early June.

The council will vote on the measure later Thursday, but there may be some opposition to changing D.C.'s flag, which is based upon the coat of arms of George Washington's family.

A 2004 survey by the North American Vexillogical Association — vexillology by the way is the study of flags — named DC's "stars and bars" the number one city flag out of more than 150.

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